Tuesday, always so busy!

Tuesdays seem to be the busiest days around here. Everyday is busy lately but Tuesday's you can barely breathe. This Tuesday was no different. We are in the process (ever so slow process) of building a house. So we met with the electrician this Tuesday. He came to our house instead of us coming to his office. This was by his choice after I said we would be bringing 3 kids with us. Haha! I am not usually a fan of having strangers in my house, especially when they are male (sorry guys!) because of my little girls. BUT Bob was home with me and he has worked with our contractor (who is a trusted friend) for 18+ years. So I made an exception. He was a really nice older guy and i felt very comfortable with him. He knew his stuff and we enjoyed the 2 hours of talking about lights.

While we were doing this the three littles played together. Ellie did a little bit of school work but mainly played. Every time there is playing there will be fighting and Tuesday was no exception. I think they hit a threshold of patient where their bucket empties. This time it was Lucy who flipped and Ellie was in the mix of it of course. Ellie and Lucy are so much a like so they butt heads a lot. Ellie was telling Lucy what to do while playing on Lucy's bed and Lucy wasn't having it because it is her bed and she is in charge on her bed. Lucy was crying and Ellie didn't want her to be rude to the guest in the house so she covered her mouth with her hand. Lucy did like that and bit her.

After he left we had lunch and I let the girls watch a little TV. Why do I do that? They fight or have snotty attitudes when the TV is on more than any other time ever! Grrr. We had to leave for vision therapy for Ellie, she didn't want to turn off the TV, she couldn't find ANY shoes that "felt right" even though she has about 10 pairs of shoes and some days loves them so much she won't take them off. It is so frustrating. It is so hard to get out the door for Ellie. If it isn't her shoes it is her socks, or she forgot something or she doesn't want to go. I don't understand. And it isn't just "Mom, I can't find the right shoes", no it is crying and whining and throwing herself on the floor in frustration. If we are in a rush or running late it is 100 times worse. Even if I have her put all of her stuff (shoes, socks, lunch, toys she wants to take) by the door she always manages to have an issue with something.

She did the best she has done at vision therapy this week though so for that I am proud.

We came home and Tuesday night at our house is when the "boys" come over. Two of our good friends, turned employees, turned family come over for dinner and a movie. Bob and I say we have adopted them (ages 18 and 27) and the girls call them their brothers. So as soon as we got home we started to make cinnamon rolls because Wednesday is Bob's birthday. I was rushing because I hadn't started dinner but need to get the dough started for the rolls for the next morning. Why do I try to do too much in a short amount of time? I should change that. Anyway I was talking on the phone while rushing through the GLUTEN FREE recipe which is more picky than normal recipes. I used the wrong kind of yeast and needless to say had to through all of the dough out and start over.

Not to mention earlier in the day I had an issue with the architect. This is the second time he has been down right rude, he knows his stuff but he has a bit of a temper. I let him know this wasn't acceptable. Not what I wanted to deal with today or any day really. :)

Anyway we had dinner and it was good. I did notice as we were sitting at the table for about 30 minutes after we ate talking that Ellie does insert herself into the conversation I think because she is comfortable with us, but at times she will repeat what other people have said before to make it seem like she understands and knows about what we are talking about when I don't think she clearly does. She often looks at me even she is talking to others to see if what she is saying is right or to get my approval. I am not sure but I just noticed it more at dinner.

Overall it was a good day with a few glitches in there and now the house is thrashed. I have to worry less about that and spend more time with my kids. So much easier said than done, I think I have some OCD!

Memorial Day weekend and few other random things.

It is Memorial Day weekend and we go camping in "2 more sleeps" as my kids say. Last year at camping I wasn't as strict about food dye because it was the beginning of our adventure but now that I have seen the results it will not graze my kids lips until they are all grown and out of the house if I have anything to say about it! So this year thanks to someone who commented on an earlier post I have stocked up on Wal-mart brand marshmallows. Dye free, normal size and only $1! Thankfully there is a Wal-mart not to far from where we stay so if I run out I can restock. We always bring junk food camping along with our good for you food and we are set on everything like frozen treats, smores and chocolate. I think I will make one more stop to Safeway for bulk gummy bears that are dye free. I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend with the family.

For you gluten free people out there I think I have found the best gluten free flour known to man. It is called "Better Batter" www.betterbatter.org and I made pizza crust last night that was amazing. Even Bob liked it. It was fluffy like normal pizza and not just an over sized cracker! I have even made cinnamon rolls with it before. And for all you who aren't a natural in the kitchen like me, I made the pizza crust following the directions and it turned out the first time! Their website has a ton of recipes too. So check it out if gluten makes you less than what you want to be!

One little story and I am done for the morning. I was driving back from taking my oldest to drivers ed AGAIN the other day. My 9 year old who is the pickiest thing in the world and likes only nasty processed food starting talk about our day. We had gone on a field trip with her class to Pike Place Market in Seattle. While there she wanted some of those yummy mini donuts, so I got her some as a treat. I had some too and they were not good, usually those donuts are but they were way too greasy. She ate more than she should have so as we were driving that evening she tells me, "Mom, I still feel like I could throw up form those donuts. I think they had too much grease. I don't usually eat bad stuff like that and I don't think my body likes it!" As I was doing cartwheels inside that yes some of this is sinking in, she continues, "Ya know I am eating a lot healthier lately mom, have you noticed? I used to go downstairs and sneak candy from the candy drawer all of the time (lol she is admitting it) but now I don't even want to, I would rather eat fruit!" Success! Such a breath of fresh air. Will she never eat bad again? No, and I don't expect that, I do desire though for my kids to know what real food is, and know how to eat it and enjoy it. Treats are so fun and rewarding when you know you have nourished  your body first and haven't gone overboard on the sugar when you do have it.

Lately my sweet tooth has been gone and I am craving more savory things, I think it is rubbing off on my kids! Yay!

Two new gluten free finds!

I have found two new gluten free foods that I am in love with. It is exciting and scary all at the same time when this happens. Exciting because I feel like I am normal and can actually go to a store and buy something that doesn't make feel "left out" and have it taste amazing. Scary because when it tastes as amazing as these two things I know I will eat more at each sitting than I should, but I love food so I over indulge at times!

My first find is gluten free tortillas. They are made by French Meadow Bakery and I found them at Safeway in the frozen section on an end cap. They aren't huge that is for sure and they aren't cheap but they are SO worth it. They are about the same size as a corn tortilla. My suggestion is to take out as many as you will need for the one meal you are cooking and let them thaw at room temperature. Then put a little (and I mean little) oil or butter or whatever you prefer in a pan on medium heat and lightly brown each side. As they heat up you will be able to tell that they are becoming more soft and pliable. Be careful though, they break easy. I haven't had anything in my last two years of being gluten free that tastes this good and maybe even better than the original it is replacing. The cost is $5.99/ package but Safeway has them on sale sometimes and I believe I have found coupons for them before.

Find #2 is from the brand Enjoy Life. They make soft baked cookies that are sold in a box at most super markets. I have had the snicker doodle one before and it was good, not anything to write home about but if you are in the mood for snicker doodles they will fill your craving. BUT I was at the Mt. Vernon food co-op the other day and I found a new flavor I had never seen before, "Lively Lemon"...I LOVE lemon...I love these cookies! Soft, really lemony, and they have these little yellow bits of lemon in them that I am sure are sugar coated but make the cookie pop. I think the box cost $3.99 and comes with 12 small (maybe 1.5 inch) cookies in them. I have eaten over half of the box since yesterday and they only reason I had any self control is because I have had to share with my 7 year old who is gluten free also. I am glad I haven't found them anywhere closer as of yet because I know I would eat too many. But I can guarantee that every time I am in Mt. Vernon I will be stopping at the food co-op to get some!

Speaking of the food co-op if you ever get a chance to get up there it is a neat place. They have an in house bakery, deli etc that you can buy lunch at and plenty of seating. In the bakery they had a chocolate hazelnut torte that was $2.25/slice and was very moist and tasty. My daughter even liked it and she is the most snobby gluten free person I know. So there ya go, two new things to try!